Wandering Cottage of the Smoke Reaver

Since the time of the elves a mysterious cottage roamed the land, moving from place to place at its own whim. Its appearance was a terrible omen to any nearby villages. When the cottage appeared, thick smoke would blanket entire valleys, runes would appear in the smoke and bring with it strange visions. These visions could bend the minds of others to manipulate their thoughts, showing them the terrible future they were about to experience.   The Wandering Cottage of the Smoke Reaver is constructed of ancient timber that still remembers the Words of Creation. Etched across the walls are are runes and intricate carving that hold the secrets of the universe and hold the power to shape reality itself.   The interior of the cottage is filled with a mysterious darkness, neither elf nor dwarf can see through it. No living being has ever dared to enter. Here lives an ancient being, the Smoke Reaver who greets those brave enough to even approach the entrance. It lurks in the shadows and holds unfathomable power and knowledge, said to possess the ability to grant those it deems worthy wishes and eternal life. Within a single glace, the Reaver can see into a person’s soul, knowing their worth and fears as if they were its own.   Too much remains unknown for scholars to make any certain claims about the cottage and the Reaver. Even mystics cannot divine any knowledge about it, unable to even agree if they are good or evil.   What is known is that cottage appears in times of great danger and strife, and can offer a solution to the problem at hand. Though it is unknown where it will appear next, it is said that the pixie’s have some amount of influence on it. Brave heroes can make a pact with the Reaver and gain immense power but always in exchange for a great price.   With its unknown motivations and ability for the cottage to completely cover the land around it in smoke it remains a force of great power and danger. It should be entreated with the greatest of care. Those who seek it out must be careful to no become lost in the smoky depths for none know the trust cost to gain its power.   Disputed by Hledwalda Aethelmark, King of the Helcynn, these are the reported appearances of the cottage. The official declaration is that these are myths spread by evil deities and used to lead people to temptation and power.   Eorec Heights, a small mountain range at the south tip of the Helcynngae Peninsula, was once home to a small village called Wihr. Here a great dragon breathed fire onto the countryside for months. The villagers live in constant fear of the beast’s fiery breath and sharp claws. Many who had lost their homes and loved ones would die from exposure, there simply was not enough housing to protect everybody.   One day a young princess named Adain received a vision from the gods. In it, she saw a grouping of magical runes swirling in the smoke with each glowing a different color. As she watched in awe, the runes rune rearranged themselves and transformed into a readable language: “He comes at dawn in 13 days, but do not fear. A hero will rise to vanquish the beast and bring peace to the land.”   Adain knew she had to spread this prophecy to her people and all the surrounding villages. The bravest warriors gathered and the mightiest mages formed ranks the night before. They prepared themselves to confront the dragon and protect their lands.   As the sun rose on the day of the attack, the dragon descended upon the village, its wings blocking the morning sun. It swooped down and grabbed many villages in its claws, carrying them back up into the sky before dropping them.   Archers launched arrow after arrow many fell short of reaching the dragon and those that made it bounced of shiny red scales. The dragon toyed with them, not using its fiery breath but swooping down and grabbing people with its claws. They tried to resist. Tried to stab. Tried to punch. Even tried to bite. But they could do nothing against its power. It flew back into the air and one by one dropped each villager. It would watch them fall. Listen to their screams. It delighted in all of it. Look at that one, it’s trying to flap its wings. How cute, but to no avail.   The dragon smirked and let out a roar that was answered with screams of terror from many of the warriors. The site of their fallen brethren hitting the ground and their innards exploring all over them. They were making no progress. It was helpless. Their eyes darted around for any sign of hope but found none. Too many of their friends and family had died and now they were about to be next. They had to flee. Hope was lost.   Adain knew that all was not right. How could the prophecy be so wrong? Barely a scratch on the dragon. No hero? Smoke rolled over the village. All to common from a dragon’s raid. But there was no fire, the dragon had not been breathing fire today. Adain grabbed a staff for protection and went out to help however she could.   Her mind was blank, unable to process the screams of her friends and all she cared about. Mouth agape she bend down in the smoke to tend to the wounded. And at that moment her sight went dark for a moment and when she regained her senses and looked around, she realized everything had vanished.   Now there was just silence. She stood up; the ground was flat at hard, and all around her was smoke but she didn’t have any difficulty breathing. Before her, was the Cottage. Nobody knows what she sacrificed for her power but when she reappeared back at the scene of battle she had transformed herself into a mighty dragon.   The two dragons twirled in the air as they fought each other. Her golden scales glowing in the morning sun. The villagers took this time to flee into the forest and disperse.   The fight ended the same as any creatively bankrupt Marvel movie: giant epic laser-beam sky battle.   Just kidding.   But their fight was so great that the entire village was destroyed. Those who escaped never returned and to this day not a single board of wood has been found where the village once stood. Adventurers have searched the area where the village was said to be and returned with nothing. Some have even searched the mountains for a golden dragon, though it would be quite ancient by now. No evidence has ever been found to back up the myth.